World ramps up flood aid to stricken Pakistan

Aug 19, 2010 6:33:00 AM - thestate.com

The world ramped up assistance to flood-ravaged Pakistan on Thursday three weeks after the crisis began, and U.S. Sen. John Kerry said Washington did not want Islamist extremists to come out of the disaster stronger.

The U.S., Germany and Saudi Arabia all announced new pledges of aid, while Japan said it would send helicopters to help distribute food, water and medicine. The Asian Development Bank said it would redirect $2 billion of existing and planned loans for reconstruction.

"If we don't do it quick, if we don't do it well, what will the Pakistani people think," said Juan Miranda, the bank's director general for Central and West Asia. "We have to put every road and every bridge back into the shape where they should be."

The floods have affected 20 million people and about one-fifth of Pakistan's territory, straining its civilian government as it also struggles against al-Qaida and Taliban violence. Aid groups and the United Nations have complained foreign donors have not been quick or generous enough given the scale of the disaster.

The United States has deployed 18 army helicopters to hard-hit areas and given other aid worth $90 million.